RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects 5%-10% of pregnancies and can lead to serious fetal and maternal complications. SMS text messaging is an effective way to improve diabetes management outside of pregnancy, but has not been well studied in GDM. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to perform user experience testing and assess usability and acceptability of an SMS text messaging program (Text 4 Success) for women with GDM. METHODS: An automated 2-way texting program was developed. It included (1) reminders to check blood glucose levels, (2) positive feedback to user-reported glucose levels, (3) weekly educational messages, and (4) weekly motivational messages. For the user experience testing, women received simulated messages. For the usability study, women were enrolled in the program and received messages for 2 weeks. All women participated in semistructured interviews. For women in the usability study, data from glucose measuring devices were downloaded to assess adherence to self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), measured as the percentage of recommended SMBG checks performed (a secondary outcome). RESULTS: Ten women participated in user experience testing. Suggestions for optimization included further customization of message timing and minimization of jargon, which were incorporated. Ten women participated in the usability study. All 10 would recommend the program to other women with GDM. Participants liked the immediate feedback to glucose values. Suggestions included further flexibility of messages related to mealtimes and the ability to aggregate blood glucose data into a table or graph. Overall, adherence to SMBG testing was high at baseline (222/238 recommended checks, 93%). In comparing the week prior to the trial with the 2 weeks during the trial, there was a small but statistically insignificant difference (P=.48) in the percentage of recommended SMBG performed (median 93% [25th-75th IQR 89%-100%] vs median 97% [25th-75th IQR 92%-100%]). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, women with GDM would recommend the Text 4 Success in GDM program and think it is helpful for GDM self-management. The program was usable and acceptable. The program may be better suited to those who have low levels of adherence to SMBG at baseline or to women at time of their diagnosis of GDM. Adaptations to the program will be made based on user suggestions. Further study of SMS text messaging to improve SMBG in GDM is needed.
RESUMO
Cell-based assays are widely used to screen compounds and study complex phenotypes. Few methods exist, however, for multiplexing cellular assays or labeling individual cells in a mixed cell population. We developed a generic encoding method for cells that is based on peptide-mediated delivery of quantum dots (QDs) into live cells. The QDs are nontoxic and photostable and can be imaged using conventional fluorescence microscopy or flow cytometry systems. We created unique fluorescent codes for a variety of mammalian cell types and show that our encoding method has the potential to create > 100 codes. We demonstrate that QD cell codes are compatible with most types of compound screening assays including immunostaining, competition binding, reporter gene, receptor internalization, and intracellular calcium release. A multiplexed calcium assay for G-protein-coupled receptors using QDs is demonstrated. The ability to spectrally encode individual cells with unique fluorescent barcodes should open new opportunities in multiplexed assay development and greatly facilitate the study of cell/cell interactions and other complex phenotypes in mixed cell populations.
